Via Francigena and on to Napoli?

[MikeJS]

Snowing here in the south of England atm so thinking about camino plans. I have half a created plan for a made up route fro Madrid to Salamanca then on ‘normal’ camino routes but Italy has been calling me. I lived in Napoli for 3.5 years and am considering walking from Lucca to Napoli via Rome. I know the VF used to go on past Rome to Apulia but cannot find much about routes. Anyone walked that section? Not a big concerned as I can find my own way but all info is useful.

 

[Corned Beef]

The Via Francigena nel Sud is what you want. Rome down towards Sessa Aurunca. You can then decide to continue to Benevento or head south to Capua, Caserta (nice stop) and then Naples.

Italia - Il percorso - Via Francigena

La Via Francigena in Italia Dal Colle del Gran San Bernardo a Roma La Via Francigena in Valle di Susa Da Roma a Santa Maria di Leuca Il percorso per […]

www.viefrancigene.org

Took the Via Appia (similar to the VF) to Brindisi mid-2024 and thoroughly enjoyed it. Watch the time of year. Mid May was just about manageable.

 

[MikeJS]

The Via Francigena nel Sud is what you want. Rome down towards Sessa Aurunca. You can then decide to continue to Benevento or head south to Capua, Caserta (nice stop) and then Naples.

Italia - Il percorso - Via Francigena

La Via Francigena in Italia Dal Colle del Gran San Bernardo a Roma La Via Francigena in Valle di Susa Da Roma a Santa Maria di Leuca Il percorso per […]

www.viefrancigene.org

Took the Via Appia (similar to the VF) to Brindisi mid-2024 and thoroughly enjoyed it. Watch the time of year. Mid May was just about manageable.

Yes, I can use a VF route that is marked on mapy.cz as far as Capua or Caserta. I was hoping for a route more along the coast but nothing seems marked as footpaths.

 

[Corned Beef]

I was hoping for a route more along the coast but nothing seems marked as footpaths.

Parts of the coast are covered with hotels and private beaches so not a likely option.

On the eastern side around Bari there was a whole coastal village with security guards who would not let you through. They wanted us to make a 10 mile detour through the countryside. Luckily we found an open side gate. The GPS software was incorrect and had we known we'd have planned a different route.

Almost sure @timr has been along the route and might have insights.

Hint: Don't visit Caserta on a Tuesday. The Palace is closed that day.

 

[Paul-CH]

As far as I checked on OsmAnd-Maps and OutdoorActive there is no pedestrian route between Caserta and Napoli an no way along the west coast of Italy.

 

[MikeJS]

Parts of the coast are covered with hotels and private beaches so not a likely option.

On the eastern side around Bari there was a whole coastal village with security guards who would not let you through. They wanted us to make a 10 mile detour through the countryside. Luckily we found an open side gate. The GPS software was incorrect and had we known we'd have planned a different route.

Almost sure @timr has been along the route and might have insights.

Hint: Don't visit Caserta on a Tuesday. The Palace is closed that day.

I have been to Caserta many times and have no need to visit the place again as lovely as it is. Personally, having lived in Napoli I am more concerned about the camorra!

 

[MikeJS]

As far as I checked on OsmAnd-Maps and OutdoorActive there is no pedestrian route between Caserta and Napoli an no way along the west coast of Italy.

There are routes though and I know the area fairly well.

 

[timr]

Parts of the coast are covered with hotels and private beaches so not a likely option.

On the eastern side around Bari there was a whole coastal village with security guards who would not let you through. They wanted us to make a 10 mile detour through the countryside. Luckily we found an open side gate. The GPS software was incorrect and had we known we'd have planned a different route.

Almost sure @timr has been along the route and might have insights.

Hello @MikeJS

As @Corned Beef says I continued in 2018 on from Rome and eventually to S Maria de Leuca. The route is fairly well 'defined' now with a recent guidebook from Terre di Mezzo now in English and a shortly forthcoming one from Sandy Brown for Cicerone (I think). And it is on the viefrancigene site here.

The route turns left before you get as far as Naples and crosses Italy once more, but with much less effort than crossing the Alps, or the Appenines at Cisa pass. There are a host of possible variants, depending on where you might want to go. You could visit Monte Cassino (I didn't) and Monte Sant'Angelo (I didn't) and Santuario Madre di Dio Incoronata (I did and got a "pilgrim welcome" ).

There is a variable amount of infrastructure, more as time goes on I think. There are parishes and monasteries. BnB generally cheaper than in the north - you are quite a way off the tourist trail. Not a great deal of English spoken and quite often none.

Some people complain that there is probably more road walking (on quiet roads, mainly) than in the north. I have to say this never bothers me, (nor do cobbles), and I don't pay too much heed.

You can choose how soon to hit the east coast - I took an earlier option and very much enjoyed walking down the coast. Might be less attractive if you don't relish fish and seafood!! I didn't have @Corned Beef 's trouble with a gated community but as I said it was a while back now.

The Puglian coast is very much 'native Italian' holiday territory. Not over-commercialised. Almost closed down out of season, though I managed to find accommodation into late November.

From Brindisi on, you can go inland to Lecce (wonderful) and follow a slightly alternative Cammino di Salento.

You could also look at the Cammino Materano and possibly mix and match a bit? I walked from Matera to Brindisi using their routes. They are not 'traditional' routes but the contemporary work of a wonderfully enthusiastic team of volunteers. Great infrastructure with BnBs who offer genuine and generous discount when booked directly.

I met very few people walking from Rome onwards. Less than a dozen I would say from Rome to Santa Maria.

 

[MikeJS]

Hello @MikeJS

As @Corned Beef says I continued in 2018 on from Rome and eventually to S Maria de Leuca. The route is fairly well 'defined' now with a recent guidebook from Terre di Mezzo now in English and a shortly forthcoming one from Sandy Brown for Cicerone (I think). And it is on the viefrancigene site here.

The route turns left before you get as far as Naples and crosses Italy once more, but with much less effort than crossing the Alps, or the Appenines at Cisa pass. There are a host of possible variants, depending on where you might want to go. You could visit Monte Cassino (I didn't) and Monte Sant'Angelo (I didn't) and Santuario Madre di Dio Incoronata (I did and got a "pilgrim welcome" ).

There is a variable amount of infrastructure, more as time goes on I think. There are parishes and monasteries. BnB generally cheaper than in the north - you are quite a way off the tourist trail. Not a great deal of English spoken and quite often none.

Some people complain that there is probably more road walking (on quiet roads, mainly) than in the north. I have to say this never bothers me, (nor do cobbles), and I don't pay too much heed.

You can choose how soon to hit the east coast - I took an earlier option and very much enjoyed walking down the coast. Might be less attractive if you don't relish fish and seafood!! I didn't have @Corned Beef 's trouble with a gated community but as I aid it was a while back now.

The Puglian coast is very much 'native Italian' holiday territory. Not over-commercialised. Almost closed down out of season, though I managed to find accommodation into late November.

From Brindisi on, you can go inland to Lecce (wonderful) and follow a slightly alternative Cammino di Salento.

You could also look at the Cammino Materano and possibly mix and match a bit? I walked from Matera to Brindisi using their routes. They are not 'traditional' routes but the contemporary work of a wonderfully enthusiastic team of volunteers. Great infrastructure with BnBs who offer genuine and generous discount when booked directly.

I met very few people walking from Rome onwards. Less than a dozen I would say from Rome to Santa Maria.

Thank you. If I do this walk I will use the VF until somewhere around Caserta and then head for Napoli. I have friend in Napoli and have visited the other places on the east coast previously. I was fortunate to visit Matera long before it became widely know after recommendations from Italian friends.

 

[sprinto]

Does anyone know if it is possible to get an extension to the 90 day visa for religious reasons , all plans since brexit have had to change but the VF is still a hope